Woman Jailed After Throwing Newborn into a Rubbish Chute from the 3rd Floor of an HDB Flat

What do you do when you go to the toilet thinking you have a stomachache, and a baby pops out?

Well, that was what happened to this 27-year-old woman.

What Happened

According to CNA, this incident happened in the early hours of 7 Jan 2020.

The woman, then 26, was at home with her brother when she started to feel pain in her stomach.

Thinking that it was a stomachache, she went to the toilet.

To her shock and horror, what came out wasn’t faeces but a crying baby boy.

She carried the baby out of the toilet, snipped the umbilical cord with kitchen scissors, put the baby into a white plastic bag and threw him down the rubbish chute from her home, which was on the third level.

Then, she cleaned up the area and went to sleep.

Baby Rescued By Cleaners

At 8.30am, cleaners under the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council started going around clearing the rubbish chutes at Bedok North.

The cleaners who came across and rescued the baby were Patwari Shamin and Kamal Mostafa.

They were doing their rounds when Mr Shamin heard soft baby cries.

Asking Ms Mostafa if he’s heard anything, Mr Shamin went closer and listened more intently.

He then moved a newspaper aside and saw the baby in the white plastic bag.

Calls were made and town council property officers rushed down to the scene.

The cleaners managed to find a shirt, a shawl and other pieces of clothing to wrap the newborn with and he was taken to the hospital by the police and the ambulance.

Friend Advised Her To Confess

The next day, police officers went up to the woman’s home to ask if she or her family knew anything about the baby that was thrown away.

Initially, she had denied knowing anything.

However, she eventually turned herself in on 13 Feb 2020 after confessing to her friend who managed to persuade her into surrendering.

Sentenced To 1 & 1/2 Year In Prison

On 18 Aug 2020, the woman was sentenced to a one and a half years in jail.

She had pleaded guilty to one charge of attempted culpable homicide by throwing the boy down the rubbish chute with the intention to kill.

Her lawyer had tried to ask for probation, saying that her client did not know she was pregnant.

However, the claim was dismissed as the boy was “full-term” (carried within the body for nine months) and weighs a healthy 2.5kg.

The woman was also diagnosed with postpartum depression but it was found that she only went into depression after she committed the offence.

Currently, the baby boy is in the care of foster parents.

Helplines

• Pregnancy Crisis Service: 6339- 9770
• Safe Place: 6817-4202
• 24-hour Mum-To-Be Helpline: 1800-686-8623

For teenagers, you can approach BABES via their 24-hour call or SMS helpline: 8111 3535.